Saturday, February 13, 2010

Save 2010 Census - no images to be preserved

[Editor's Note: While the issues discussd in this article remain of interest to all genealogists, the particular issue regarding the preservation of 2010 Census data had been clarified by NARA, as indicated in the update article by CCGS President Bob Ward on March 8, 2010.]

The Census Bureau and the National Archives have agreed to throw out the 2010 census forms after archiving statistical data. This means that seventy-two years later genealogist will see – nothing -.

The same authorities planned to do this to the 2000 census, too. A January 1999 Supreme Court ruling forced the Census Bureau to redesign data collection by prohibiting the use of sampling. Responding to an inquiry from Congressman Waxman of the census oversight committee, the Census Bureau and the National Archives reevaluated their decision. Images of all 2000 census forms were copied onto microfilm.

For 2010, the Census Bureau and the National Archives once again plan to make a data file rather than capture images of the census forms. Data Killers, a shredding and degaussing company, has a one-year contract to destroy on-site Census Bureau data.

If earlier officials had been so short sighted, millions of Americans could not have used the 1880 census to prove their ages and qualify for Social Security. What if a future prospective citizen must prove he or she was in the United States in 2010? Who knows what crucial uses this information may fulfill?If in seventy-two years, you’d like your descendants to be able to see your census form, act now or it will not happen. [You could even write them a message on the form.] As in 2000, Congress can persuade these agencies to reconsider. Send letters supporting the imagining of the 2010 census forms to:

Rep. Ed Towns
Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
U.S. House of Representatives
2157 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Rep. Darrell Issa
Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
U.S. House of Representatives
B-350 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C, 20515

Thanks for visiting our site, and you certainly may link to anything we have here.

You can contact Bob Ward, the author of the article by finding his email address on our Contact Us page. I am not sure if he is an APG Member to be able to post in the forums. It may be simpler to link here anyway.

Here's another argument for saving this data: Congressional districts get redrawn based on census data. If the data is destroyed, then there will be no proof of the original information. It needs to be preserved.

I got a link to this from the genealogy society I'm a member of. Hopefully the news of this will be spread. Also if the representatives above won't accept letters or emails from non constituents, please contact your own Representatives. Most of them accept emails via their own websites.

Please do not dispose of the 2010 Census. What a hole the burning of the 1890 Census left for the genealogist trying to find their ancestors. Surely, that should alert everyone to the need to preserve the 2010 Census.

This would be a major setback for future genealogists. We rely upon the census images to prove many vital facts for our ancestors. Sometimes this is the only proof we can find about them. Please preserve the census images.

What idiots in Washington have not been aware of the importance of keeping census records for all time? This is valuable information for finance, demographics, trends in population movement and not the least for the thousands who make up a big business called genealogy. Please reconsider that the cost of destroying records that can never be recovered isn't worth what ever savings you think there will be - there will only be loss. Remember what the cost was when the 1890 records were lost - a huge gap of population data, trends in growing industry and much more. SAVE THE CENSUS!

I can only echo this comment, could not have said it better.What idiots in Washington have not been aware of the importance of keeping census records for all time? This is valuable information for finance, demographics, trends in population movement and not the least for the thousands who make up a big business called genealogy. Please reconsider that the cost of destroying records that can never be recovered isn't worth what ever savings you think there will be - there will only be loss. Remember what the cost was when the 1890 records were lost - a huge gap of population data, trends in growing industry and much more.

The U. S. census has been an archive for any and everyone doing any sort of family history. It has proved to verify family relationships as well as the migration paths of families we may never have located.Please, do not let this vital part of history be destroyed. A visable document is always better than someone's transcription of what they think the spelling is.

I just wrote both my senators and my Congressional representative to ask them to do whatever they can to support the effort to keep the Census from being destroyed, and I'll write to the officials listed above. I encourage everyone else to do the same. It's important to save this valuable information for future generations.

I agree that writing to your Congressional representatives is generally more effective than to officials within the U.S. Census, who promoted the policy in the first place. A letter or E-mail that is short and itemized as to the effects will be read, most likely. Bill, in Idaho.

How can this happen to all of the people who love doing geneaology, who spend hours searching? Is this totally legal?Save this information for future generations who will try looking for me, and you!!!

Even if it were not kept for genealogy purposes, what about those adoptees who never discovered who their parents were when they were alive, but who could get many clues to their origins from censuses?That's how I found my family after they were all gone and discovered a genetic disease that I got tested for and am only a carrier. So are my children carriers (they have two of the four genes that lead to having the condition).

I agree that family history is important as the census goes. However, I have thought over the past many years that the census was unimportant as I cannot honestly recall the last time my family was visited or mailed a census form. I'll soon be 77 and can only believe that I am a statistic based upon an unreliable average for my family and its makeup. I have lost all respect for our government's responsiblily to it's people; only concern for each member's own wellfare which is the bottom line in their efforts. I do not expect to be visited in 2010.

Destroying the 2010 census forms after the data has been extracted is a logical step in this technological age. The 2010 census form is not like the 1880 or even 1930 form. The 2010 form does not list data for 50 individuals, as in the old days. Each household will receive one booklet. Each booklet is five pages long with space for ten questions about the household and several more personal information questions about each inhabitant. Instead of imaging one form for 50 people in 1880, we would be asking for the government to image five individual pages of forms, containing data on from one up to a dozen people, for every household in the U.S. Not very practical. We need to be concerned with whether all of the personal data (name, age, birth date, race, relationship, etc.) is retained and made available to researchers in 72 to 100 years from now. That is the question I have asked of the National Archives. Perhaps Mr. Ward would tell us the sources for his posting or can clarify whether it is just the forms or all the personal data obtained from the forms which will be destroyed.

Dear Sirs and Madams. Sometimes the census documents are the only way to find past relatives. Destroying the records makes no sense. If it is being claimed that it cost too much, then you need to look at the current administration squandering Trillions. Please reconsider the decision to not save the census information. Please perserve our heritage. Thank you in advance for changing your position. MJ Johnson, CA Genealogist.

We all know congress( and also read ACLU) is not going to allow anything to be preserved that might be a paper trail to all the tricks they may want to pull in the future. Heavan forbid congress could be held to actual facts when they want to redraw district lines to influence an election( an already common trick). All the above comments are interesting and have a lot of value, and seem to reflect a common thread, SAVE THE RESULTS, and not just the "trust me on this" comments

I am not sure I underdstand exactly what the government intends to do with the 2010 census.I can't see going to the expense of collecting the information if it is just going to be destroyed once they see it.we as genealogists, can make copies of the census forms when we fill them out and file with our other records.

If they can retain and preserve records from way back in the 1600's and 1700's, it should not be that hard to continue to preserve them from today. In fact it is so much easier. They have Federal Reserve Centers for this purpose. Are they going to close them down now and save money? They have definite motive in doing this. Just what is it? I do think illegal immigration has a lot to do with it. I resent having to prove I am a natural born citizen and how could I or my descendants prove this if these records are destroyed. We have money for everything else, so why not this? If they are going to destroy them, then don't even bother to take the census.

This is truly a very wrong thing to do. We treasure the census records of past. Any person interested in finding their ancestors go to the census first. Please re-think this outragous act of distroying the census records. These have to be saved for future genealogist. I have used the census records to trace my ancestors back to 1790 and found three of my ancestors were patriots of the Revolutionary War. This enabled me and thousands other women to become members of the DAR. Please, Please, preserve this important information.

Do you mean to tell me that all of the work that is being done for this census will bascially be for NOTHING?! Give me a break. As a census worker and a family genealogist I can't believe they would even think of doing such a thing. It might not help me now since it won't be available until 2082; but, it would help our country, etc. as well as my grandchildren or great-grandchildren in years to come.

Please let's not lose this census. Due to the burning of the 1890 census I cannot connect to the orignial ancestor who came to this country from Netherlands nor can I find anything about my great grandparents. I want my future ancestors to find me among the piles of Information out there. Please keep this word out don't let it fall by the wayside!

This would be throwing away our descendants' heritage and important information. Like others, I wish that the 1890 census hadn't burnt. I understand that there are too many pages to scan, but to shred all of it is also a waste of taxpayers' money, after the cost of all the expensive commercials, and the salaries of census takers. Genealogy is important in so many ways. It can bring families together, show when somebody was alive, and where they lived, and show relationships, and an idea of where the ancestor was from. Please don't take this away from the American people.

All world wide genealogists will be greatly sadden if this happens, when we find our ancestors names back in history we get a warm connection feeling in our heart. Our descendants will not have that opportunity to connect with us and to be a part of us if the census records are destroyed and a part of them will be lost forever leaving a void in their lives, we must do all we can to preserve our records for that wonderful connection.

Okay...so let's get started in seeing that this doesn't happen. Let's contact those listed, call newspapers and TV stations, write letters to the editors, stating our opinion....get attention going, explain the detrimental impact of not keeping the census images. Unless engaged in genealogy research most of my friends seem to have no objection, however, when I explain the importance most of them support keeping the original data...get them engaged. I'd say it's up to those of us who understand the importance of the census to step up and do something.

why don't you all just call the census bureau and talk to their history dept. The gentleman there will explain to you that the census indeed may not be on microfilm, but instead in electronic form..data will be captured and an electronic image of the cesus made. then it can be scanned and read..same as on the microfilm, only it will be in digital form. It will be saved someway...the final decision has not been made whether it will be microfilm or digital..I don't care how famous someone is, when I see an article like this one, I make calls and verify for myself..he is right, the census may not be on microfilm but it seems like he never investigated any farther to see what they were going to do with it.If you note, he did not quote to where he received this information..

If the 2010 census is digitized will the funds to re-digitize to keep up with advancements in technology be funded? Has this even been considered? It is my understanding that the US Post Office must re-digitize every 10 years. Experience has shown me personally that some old discs and floppies no longer are readable by my 2009 pc. At least, microfilm images can be enlarged and read for at least 80 years. As Registrar of my DAR chapter, I know how important it is for genealogists to have access to the US CENSUS records. Migration patterns, types of employment, religous preferences of our ancestors, proof of citizenship and/or nationality give the family a sense of place and belonging that should be available for future generations. V.Melton, Madison,TN

Hitler destroyed deeds(no more privately owned property), bibles (no more religious beliefs), books(no more knowledge of the world) marriages records, all newspapers & yes the German census. It was his goal to take the individual and make him simply a part of the whole, by destroying his history, beliefs, valuable records, every German became ONE German. No one would have a single identity. We all know who Hitler was - he almost succeded. It all began in a suttle way.We must preserve all our records including census records, so that 1,000 years from now people on planet earth will know we existed and how we lived and know we were individuals Let us not destroy the history of the United States and its people. SAVE OUR CENSUS RECORDS

This would be a major setback for future genealogists. We rely upon the census images to prove many vital facts for our ancestors. Sometimes this is the only proof we can find about them. Please preserve the census images.

Obviously the decision makers on this matter have NO IDEA about the value of census data to researchers! To destroy these records would be criminal! Consider the lack of information we deal with today resulting from the loss of the 1890 census! This insane action MUST BE STOPPED.

I've found the images aren't always the same as the transcriptions. But does it matter if the image is on microfilm or digital, as long as it's "upgraded" with new technology? The census needs to be saved not just for us genealogists, but for all the other reasons the census is taken. If you've seen the 2010 form, the questions are minimal, but we still want to have them saved with names. And please do fill out your form, folks. Don't cut of your nose to spite your face! I suspect it will do more good to contact our own Senators and Representatives.

If the records were not going to be preserved, then why ask the questions to begin with? And truthfully, why should we be surprised at this happening? This is just one more thing that is being changed with our new government. I support NOT destroying the records. If we, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, take the time and energy to fill out the information, then it should be documented for posterity!! I want my grandkids and great grandkids to be able to find out their geneology.

Have letters written and ready to mail to the six officials listed in the article and have added a few of my own. But I would like the citation for the action to be taken. Is there Legislative approval of this proposed action anywhere?

Who is the Hitler in our government? Isn't the government supposed to be for the people? Everything we strive for is being destroyed by certain people just doing what they want without considering our wishes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First off, the Census isn't intended for genealogy use. We just lucked out. It's only legal purpose is to help determine the number of seats your state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and apportion federal funds for things like hospitals, schools, emergency services and public works projects (roads and bridges).

The 2010 census only has 10 questions asking for the names of people living in a residence, their birth date (their birth certificate is the primary source for this; not the census), their self-defined ethnicity and home ownership status. The data will be digitized (we are in a digital -- not microfilm -- age) and the original paper will be destroyed. The information isn't destroyed. Just the turning-to-dust cheap paper it was collected on.

If you do a good job passing your family history to your relatives, your descendants won't need the infinitesimal information this census is collecting. They will have the genealogical information you collected on a CD (in text and GEDCOM formats) that you gave out to all your relatives. Or they will find your basic tree (at least) on a site like Ancestry, FHC, Geni, etc.

You can see a copy of the census form at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php

The National Archives and Records Administration has written a post on this subject. It is available on NARAtions at http://blogs.archives.gov/online-public-access/?p=1192This post clarifies that the final disposition of the records of the 2010 census has not been determined. However, preliminary discussions between NARA and the Census Bureau indicate that scanned digital images and the unedited file containing response data are being proposed for permanent retention.

All data must be kept in CD form, or any evolving electronic method. Unless we remember from whence we came, we will continue to make the same mistakes. One county in the midwest decided to purge its records in 1900. They remain a one-horse town to this day. Save our heritage!From one who searches for lost grandparents

Once again someone is taking something very important from us. If you can put hundreds of songs on a very small ipod what is stopping the goverment from putting all the information from the census on a disk and saving it that way. It's not like they have to store all the paper copies. Please reconsider.

+I totally agree with everyone who says they should NOT destroy census records. What is this United States of America coming down to when they say "destroy records" that could be so vitally important in the years to come for the future generations?

The information in this blog is NOT correct. The 2010 Census will not be destroyed and lost forever. The forms will be preserved in a digital format. Please read what the National Archives has to say about this wild rumor! http://blogs.archives.gov/online-public-access/?p=1192 It appears that the fears of liberals is once again false... and Aunt Judy is correct!

I am John G. West, President of the Tri-State Genealogical Society, Past President & current Historian of the Ohio Valley Chapter of SAR. State Historian of the Indiana Society Sons of the American Revolution. Indiana State Fair 4-H Genealogy Project Judge.

I went to the website of the National Archives and posted a question. This is the response I received.

NARA and the 2010 Census

Portions of the genealogical community are under the impression that the 2010 Decennial Census forms will not be preserved by the NARA. This impression is mistaken.

NARA has not officially received and registered a proposed records retention schedule from the Census Bureau for the 2010 census. (A records retention schedule is required when agencies propose the disposition of Federal records, in any form. Click here to review Frequently Asked Questions about Records Scheduling and Disposition.) However, NARA staff members have been holding preliminary discussions with the Census Bureau about a draft retention schedule for records of the 2010 census.

The 2010 census is planned as an all-electronic census which will affect the format in which permanent records are preserved. The Census Bureau will scan the respondent questionnaires as part of its business process for compiling the census. The draft schedule calls for the permanent retention of the scanned digital images. These scanned images are the 21st century equivalent to the microfilm copies of census forms generated for previous decennial censuses.

In addition, the Census Bureau is also proposing permanent retention for the unedited file containing response data, with linkage information to the scanned images. This means that once the census is opened to the public 72 years from the enumeration date of the 2010 census, genealogists will have two means of searching for their ancestors. They can search the database, which will contain all the data (including names and addresses) from the respondent forms. They can also use the database to locate and retrieve images of the forms themselves.

Once the Census Bureau submits the final schedule and the records have been appraised by NARA, NARA will publish notice of the schedule in the Federal Register, enabling the public to obtain and comment on the schedule. In the meantime, NARA will continue to work closely with the Census Bureau to ensure that the schedule meets the needs of genealogists and other researchers who will make use of information and data from the census.

The US Census is considered an official document. Documentation has been used to obtain birth certificates, perhaps prove citizenship or date ofr entry into the country. I realize there are others ways of doing this, but come on, what is the real purpose of this. Research of original documents even reveals errors in spelling of a surname, so it is very important for descendants to be able to find ancestors when they can read this census line by line if the need be. From a genealogist of over 35 years of research. SKW of Wisconsin

This census needs to be saved. I am having the hardest time trying to trace my family generations back because of non existing data. This will be the first year that my grandchildren will be included in the census and their great great grandchildren will want to know this information about where they lived and with whom. Please save this information. It is very important.

I liked the comments from Paul WesterDirector of the Modern Records Programs at NARA. that eased my concerns tremendously. I have used the past census data just like my other serious genealogists. The information is invaluable.

I am a Genealogist and a Census Crew Leader. The hoopla about this is totally unnecessary! All of the census forms are being scanned. There will also be data collection of the data and as Paul Wester indicated above, the data will be collated and we will be able to retrieve the copies of the pages! None of us looking at the 1930 or 1920 pages, for example, look at an ORIGINAL document. We are looking at SCANNED documents. It is perfectly reasonable that the original paper copy is destroyed when the operation is complete.

[THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS ON THE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT WEB SITE AND APPEARS TO CONTRADICT THE INFORMATION ABOUT SHREDDING THE CENSUS.]

Thinking of The Genealogists of 2082http://blogs.census.gov/2010census/[Viewed 2010 03 11 /H/]

March 04, 2010 1:18 PM

...

One decision we had to make was whether to save both the numeric data record (for statistical purposes) and the digital image (to aid the genealogists of the future).

We’ve decided to save the digital images and transfer them to the National Archives for safekeeping until 2082. This means your descendents many years from now, if they’re interested in seeing traces of their ancestors, can see your own writing that you used in filling out the 2010 census. You might want to keep them in mind when you complete your form.

Please submit any questions pertaining to this post to ask.census.gov.

This article is not accurate. As the post above explains, several digital copies of the actual documents are being saved, and the original documents will be archived for a very long time. The company you mentioned is only destroying defective or incomplete media that can't be used to preserve data. All the data is stored and protected.

I hope and pray the that the digital copies will be saved and that we as citizens can review the copies we need for research, in 72 years. I want to add the government just wasted 1000s of dollars sending out a notice that we will in ten days receive a copy of the census to fill out. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME, PAPER, INK AND POSTAGE. GET your brains together save money don't waste money. YES THE CENSUS IS IMPORTANT FOR SEVERAL REASONS AND SHOULD BE KEPT. Not subjected to some disposal company who may or may not destroy the wrong box of records.

I would bet that if they are trying to save money, there would be enough genealogy groups to step up to the plate to take care of the census records just to keep them from being destroyed. Of course, the best way to save it would be to digitize the pages and then store the data in multiple sites.

I have found that the spelling that the readers came up with from the written records was not always right; along with other information; the ability to read the original records, however poorly written, offers a chance to get the correct information as well as to gather related information gleaned from records on either side of the person you are researching.

Might as well burn up the entire batch. This is a worthless census. There was nearly more information in the 1790 census of value then this lame one. The only 'interesting' information is actual birth date (thank you) but the degree to which 'race' has to be disclosed [This takes up nearly 2/3 of the space allocated to an individual...this is a grievous and unnecessary step - it's only designed to help Obama pass his immigration reform act better known as the amnesty bill), as if that's all so important, while ignoring some pretty important details like 'occupation' (maybe they thought it would be too embarassing for the unemployed this year...but it's happened before...) and even state of birth (or country/town would be even better.) How about sometime asking for names of your parents and what city/state they were born in? How about something really useful for a change?

For the billions they are spending on this census, it is worthless for genealogists in my opinion.

Burn it fast. Let's hope someone new comes in for 2020 and we get it right. this will be hole #2 in the census records for genealogists in 2100.

To Anonymous. I hope it is your family who needs to prove you were a citizen in 72 years and has no documentation to do so. Regardless of the fact that there is little beneficial information on the 2010 Census, it is still a vital research tool for genealogists. Keep your political trash to yourself and your presidential bashing for your dinner fodder.

This is very unfortunate for geneologist,future descendents, and for historical purposes. Everyones life has a story and if people don't live to tell it or who don't have any other descendents. How will their name and story live on.

When I was 15 yrs old my mother passed away and took the secret of her family to her grave my family never meet anyone from my mothers family When I became an adult i started researching family and located them with getting info from the 1930 census. Now I found out where I belong please don't stop people from locating their families.